Newly identified biomarkers might help medical professionals to better diagnose and treat erectile dysfunction in the future. The biomarkers might also help doctors to identify patients who are at higher risk of ED.
The Food and Drug Administration defines a biomarker as “a characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention.”
One biomarker that’s commonly cited is C-reactive protein, or CRP, a blood test marker that reflects the level of inflammation in the body. An elevated CRP reading can indicate to your doctor the presence of infection or cancer and a heightened risk of heart attack.
How Biomarkers Could Help
As it turns out, CRP and other biomarkers may someday soon help doctors to more definitively predict a patient’s risk of erectile dysfunction and also help them to determine how effective certain therapies are in treating ED.
A Chinese study, published in a 2019 issue of Scientific Reports, took a close look at the association between high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and ED in a study group of 1,515 Chinese males. The study participants were recruited based on the availability of historic blood test results, including hs-CRP scores.
Researchers found that blood levels of this protein were high in men with ED. They also noted that protein levels increased progressively with the severity of ED symptoms.
Higher Level = Higher Risk
Researchers also found that men in the highest quartile of hs-CRP level had a 50 percent higher risk of ED than those in the lowest quartile of the hs-CRP level. When study participants were broken down by age group, ED risk was most prominent in middle-aged and elderly men, a finding consistent with the demographics of male impotence that are already widely recognized.
In the conclusion to the Chinese study, researchers said their findings suggest that hs-CRP may have “value as an inflammatory marker for the assessment of ED risk.”
Molecular Mechanisms Studied
In yet another study, published in PeerJ, a team of Chinese researchers associated with the Department of Urology at Southern Medical University in Guangzhou sought to learn more about the molecular mechanisms of ED. To accomplish that goal, they downloaded a microarray dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus.
The scientists identified 618 differentially expressed genes as well as 25 hub genes as possible biomarkers for ED. In the conclusion to their study, they suggested that these biomarkers could be helpful in future diagnosis of ED and ED risk. However, they called for additional study to explore the biological function of these biomarker genes to better understand the role they play in ED.
Insufficient Blood Flow
While ED can be caused by a number of different factors — both physiological and psychological — the majority of male impotence can be traced to insufficient blood flow to the penis. Viagra and the other medications known as PDE5 inhibitors are designed to temporarily improve that blood flow, thus giving men with ED a window of time during which they can get and keep an erection.
These medications are available by prescription only and can be ordered online from eDrugstore.com, a longtime medical facilitator based in Tempe, Arizona. Prices posted at eDrugstore include not just the drugs you’re ordering but a host of time- and money-saving services as well.
Shipping and handling are free, which saves you from the hassle of trips to and from the local pharmacy. For those who don’t yet have a prescription, eDrugstore has a convenient solution in its complimentary online consultation service. Through that service, you’ll have a telemedicine consultation with a physician licensed to practice in your state. If the doctor determines that you’re an appropriate candidate for the drug, a prescription will be authorized. To learn more, visit eDrugstore’s Erectile Dysfunction page.
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